'I can't even pick up my phone sometimes'

The post How to Reduce Anxiety in Cats: 10 Vet Verified Tips by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Click to Skip Ahead Signs Common Causes Tips to Reduce Anxiety Anxiety may not make sense to a lot of people, but it is a very real struggle for those who suffer from it. It can afflict humans and pets in varying degrees and can cause both physical and behavioral reactions. Many cats have anxiety about driving in the car, thunderstorms, unfamiliar visitors, or going for their annual veterinarian checkup. When they don’t understand what is going on and find themselves in unfamiliar environments or situations, they can become overwhelmed, and their anxiety can skyrocket. This will cause them to protest, fight, and cry when they’re faced with the things that stress them out most. It’s important to find the cause of your cat’s anxiety and deal with it because if left untreated, it can worsen and even develop into stress cystitis. Thankfully, there are several ways to reduce anxiety in cats, so keep reading to find out more. What Is Anxiety? Unlike fear, which enhances survival and gives cats the instincts to keep themselves safe from danger, anxiety is the anticipation of danger. The thing about anxiety is that it often arises when there is no real threat of danger, and yet the body reacts as though it is in danger. It is present in various species, and is often caused by a traumatic event, such as being bitten by a dog, kicked by a person, or hit by a car, or by big changes in your cat’s life, such as moving homes, a new baby or puppy, or loud fireworks. Anxiety can develop quite early on. However, depending on the cause, it can develop at any age. Stepping in to reduce stressors in your cat’s life and treat the anxiety early is important, as it can worsen over time. Signs of Anxiety in Cats Image Credit: Anatoliy Cherkas, Shutterstock Anxiety can manifest itself differently from one cat to another. Some cats may seem fine behaviorally but won’t be able to eat, while others may tremble or act aggressively. Any changes to your cat’s eating patterns or behavior should be watched. Here are a few signs of anxiety in cats: Excessive grooming Pooping outside of the litter box Hissing, scratching, or biting Territorial behavior Hiding Freezing in place Trembling Wide eyes Running away Restlessness Loss of appetite Excessively vocal Puffing up their fur Holding their tail under their body and flattening their ears against their head If your cat has any of the symptoms above or is frequently ill, take them to their veterinarian to rule out any other health issues. They will be able to diagnose your cat with anxiety and help you with ways to manage and treat it. Speak To a Vet Online From the Comfort of Your Couch! If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price! Click to Speak With a Vet Common Causes of Anxiety in Cats Anxiety can be different for different cats. They can experience it differently, and different things can trigger anxiety in different cats. Here are a few common anxiety triggers for cats: Changes in the cat’s environment or lifestyle Loud noises such as fireworks A traumatic event A lack of or poor socialization as a kitten The 10 Tips for a Life That’s Free of Anxiety 1. Reduce or Remove Anxiety Triggers Image Credit: Veera, Shutterstock For cats with severe anxiety, determining what the cause is can be challenging because they could be anxious about many things. It’s important to watch your cat’s behavior and how they respond to different things to determine what triggers their anxiety. If they show any signs of anxiety after a particular event or situation, you will be able to put a list together of what their stressors are. This insight is important because it will help you reduce or remove those triggers from their environment. For example, if your cat is scared of dogs and the neighbor’s dog barks at them whenever they leave the house, they might be happier being kept inside. In the same way, it might be better for your cat to keep them indoors on New Year’s Eve and other occasions when fireworks are set off if they’re afraid of loud noises. (In fact, this is highly recommended, regardless of noise anxiety!) 2. Desensitization Although we just discussed removing things from your cat’s environment that trigger anxiety, it may be helpful to expose your cat to those triggers—but in a controlled way. Before doing so, this should be discussed with your vet and a veterinary behaviorist. Desensitization involves repeatedly exposing your cat to the things they’re scared of but at such a low level that they don’t react fearfully to it. For example, if your cat is anxious when in their cat carrier, you can start off by leaving their cat carrier open in their environment. You can place treats and toys inside and make it appealing. Once they are confident enough to go inside on their own, you can shut the door briefly. By repeatedly exposing your cat to their carrier in a gentle and controlled way, they will become desensitized to it and will eventually be able to go inside with the door closed for longer periods without feeling anxious. This method will not work if you repeatedly expose your cat to something that triggers their anxiety, and they react fearfully to it. By exposing them to it over and over, their anxiety will worsen and not resolve. 3. Set Up a “Safe Space” If your cat has a place of their own where they can hide out when they feel anxious, it may reduce their anxiety. Their hideout can be made of cardboard boxes, be in a large cupboard, or a quiet room. It’s important that this space be away from noise and other pets. It should also have a litterbox, some food and water, and a comfortable place to sleep. If you don’t have the space to create a full hideout for your cat, getting them a cat tree with perches and an enclosure where they can “get away” when they feel anxious will help calm them down. Those caring for anxious cats understand the struggles and discomfort that their companions feel on a daily basis. The innovative bowl shape of the Hepper Nest Bed provides nervous pets with support and its high sides offer a sense of security, diminishing stress and worry. To learn about how to the Hepper Nest can provide solace to your cat, click here. Hepper Cat Nest - Washable Cat Bed with Removable... HAPPY COZY CATS - Your kitty will bask in luxurious sherpa-lined comfort while feeling warm, safe,...MODERN DESIGN - Contemporary styling with upholstered fabric construction; just like your human...WARM FLEECE LINER - Self warming, thick sherpa fleece with microfiber trim. Check Price on Amazon At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company! 4. Don’t Leave Your Cat Alone in Silence If your cat becomes anxious when they have to be at home alone, adding some soft music or white noise can make a difference. There is music that has been created for cats with the help of scientists that is on their frequency range and may help to reduce anxiety. There are hours and hours of this type of music that you can leave playing for your cat all day long. If you have a white noise machine, your cat might benefit from that. Sound machines drown out other noises—noises that might trigger your cat’s anxiety such as barking dogs or hooting cars—and help your cat remain calm when you leave for work or other appointments. 5. Add Exercise to Their Routine A well-exercised cat will often feel calmer and happier. You can exercise your cat physically and mentally by taking them for walks on a harness, using food puzzles, adding scratching posts to their environment, getting interactive toys for them to play with, and setting aside time each day to engage with your cat. Adding mental and physical stimulation to your cat’s day will help them focus on something other than their anxiety. Looking for toys that cater to the many needs of your cat? The Hepper Hi-lo Cat Scratcher is one of our favorite cat products. Its clever thee-angle design offers multiple ways for your cat to climb, stretch, and exercise. Made of a sturdy plywood base and a replacement cardboard insert, this scratcher is an option that can be enjoyed by cats for years to come. If your cat requires a little encouragement for self-play, the Hepper Plush Mouse Kicker is a fantastic choice. Equipped with bite and kick-resistant fabric, an enticing internal bell, and organic catnip, cats can satisfy their natural prey instincts while getting the physical activity they need to thrive.  Hepper Plush Mouse Kicker Toy Hepper Hi-Lo Scratcher Multi-level play Multi-level play: Multi-level play: Interactive Interactive : Interactive : Self-play Self-play: Self-play: Promotes exercise Promotes exercise: Promotes exercise: Replaceable parts Replaceable parts: Replaceable parts: Satisfies prey-instincts Satisfies prey-instincts: Satisfies prey-instincts: Check Price Check Price At Catster, we've admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company! 6. Give Them the Space They Need Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock It’s normal to want to be there for your cat when they’re anxious, cuddle them, and let them know that they’re going to be okay. However, sometimes, this can do more harm than good, if you are reinforcing this anxiety unintentionally, or being overbearing with the attention, when they would prefer to be alone. If they want your attention, give it to them in appropriate amounts, but if they don’t, give them the space they need. 7. Feed Your Cat Away from Other Pets Image Credit: LightField Studios, Shutterstock Some cats feel anxious around mealtimes when they have to share bowls or eat near other pets. Their anxiety may stem from when they were younger and had to fight their littermates for food because there wasn’t enough for all of them. If your cat is anxious around mealtimes or shows aggression towards other pets when they have food near them, make sure that you feed them in a separate area so that they can eat calmly and not have to be on high alert. 8. Add Litter Boxes to Your Home If your cat is urinating and pooping outside of their litter box, it might be because they feel anxious using their litter box. Some cats don’t like to pee or poop where another cat has done their business, so if you have two cats, you will need at least two litter boxes, preferably three. Anxious cats may not like to feel confined, so make sure to place their litter boxes in places that are open and have various entry points. Placing it in a corner will keep it out of the way, but it might make your cat feel trapped and deter them from using it. 9. Use Calming Products Image Credit: Caterina Trimarchi, Shutterstock There are many calming products in pet stores and online that can help reduce anxiety in your cat. They can be a big help when visitors stay over, when you bring home a new pet, or when moving homes. Pheromone sprays, diffusers, collars, and wipes are a drug-free option that are safe to use around all your pets. They contain pheromones and can be purchased without a prescription from your veterinarian. Cats communicate by smelling and releasing pheromones. By placing products that contain pheromones around your home, your cat will be receiving positive, happy messages which will reduce anxiety and create a feline-friendly environment for your cat. 10. Consider Anti-Anxiety Medication If your cat has severe anxiety, nothing is helping, and it is starting to affect your cat, your other pets, and your family negatively, you should reach out to your veterinarian for help. They can discuss anti-anxiety medication options with you. Depending on your cat, they may advise you to give this medication to your cat every day to help them cope. Otherwise, they may advise you to give your cat short-term medication that will help them cope during triggering events, such as fireworks or an appointment at the groomer. It’s important to give your cat the medication exactly as it is prescribed by your veterinarian. If it doesn’t work for your cat, be sure to inform your veterinarian so they can try a different option that may affect your cat better. Conclusion Anxiety is in part the anticipation of danger, and it can cause your cat to react physically and behaviorally. Thankfully, there are ways to help a cat live with lessened or no anxiety, and it can be done by removing things from a cat’s environment that trigger anxiety, desensitizing your cat, setting up a safe space, adding exercise to their day, giving them the space they need, playing cat music when you leave the house, feeding them separately, adding more litter boxes, using calming products and giving them medication.  Veterinary help is crucial to the process, so don’t forget to include your cat’s vet in the process! Sources https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/urinary/feline-idiopathic-cystitis-fic-cats https://www.petmd.com/cat/general-health/helpful-ways-calm-your-cat https://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/nutrition/slideshows/tips-for-creating-stress-free-environment-for-your-cat https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/behavioral/c_ct_fear_phobia_anxiety https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/kittens-cats/how-to-help-a-nervous-cat https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/keeping-your-cat-stress-free https://www.smalldoorvet.com/learning-center/medical/managing-anxiety-in-cats#what   Featured Image Credit: Maistet, Shutterstock The post How to Reduce Anxiety in Cats: 10 Vet Verified Tips by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

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THE CENTER SQUARE—Within a few hours of being sued, the U.S. Department of Justice agreed not to interfere in Tuesday’s election process and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to ensure it didn’t. On Friday, the DOJ announced its plan “to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election,” with the most in eight Texas counties. The monitoring was part of its effort to enforce “federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot,” it said. The DOJ said it regularly deploys staff to states to monitor “for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.” On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson and Attorney General Ken Paxton said no federal monitors would be permitted to enter any polling places in Texas. Nelson sent a letter to the DOJ stating, “Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside a polling place where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted” and neither are federal inspectors. Paxton’s office also sent members of an Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team to major counties throughout the state to monitor Election Day activity and “address litigation arising from the election, as necessary.” Late Monday, Paxton also sued the DOJ, the attorney general and multiple DOJ officials saying the proposed plan “lists no federal authority for this ‘monitoring’ because there is none. Texas law determines who can monitor voting in Texas.” The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas Amarillo Division and argues the DOJ’s proposal violates the Administrative Procedures Act, DOJ wasn’t acting in accordance with federal law and in excess of its statutory authority. It asked the court to restrain federal authorities from monitoring voting in Texas. “The Biden-Harris administration’s lawless intimidation campaign infringes on States’ constitutional authority to run free and fair elections,” Paxton said. “Texas will not be intimidated and I will make every effort to prevent weaponized federal agencies from interfering in our elections.” U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk agreed and issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the DOJ from doing so. He also ordered the defendants to confirm that no “‘observers’ … will be present in Texas (1) polling locations or (2) election tabulation centers in violation of Texas Election Code.” The DOJ and Paxton’s office also reached an agreement, which states that DOJ monitors “will remain outside of polling and central count locations.” It also states that the DOJ “understands that, within 100 feet of those locations, DOJ election monitors are subject to Texas law regarding electioneering and other conduct within 100 feet of polling and central count locations” and the DOJ “commits that consistent with its longstanding practice, it will not interfere with voters attempting to vote.” The agreement also states that “Texas recognizes that voters may speak with DOJ personnel at the referenced locations should they so choose, within the parameters set by the Texas Election Code.” “Texans run Texas elections, and we will not be bullied by the Department of Justice,” Paxton said after the agreement was reached. “The DOJ knows it has no authority to monitor Texas elections and backed down when Texas stood up for the rule of law. No federal agent will be permitted to interfere with Texas’s free and fair elections.” His office is encouraging election administrators and members of the public to immediately report any violations of the agreement to appropriate local election officials and to his office at illegalvoting@oag.texas.gov. The state’s lawsuit against the DOJ remains pending until the election concludes Tuesday night to ensure DOJ compliance, Paxton said. Originally published by The Center Square The post After Being Sued, DOJ Agrees Not To Interfere in Texas Election appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. As Americans head to the polls today, a flurry of accusations has erupted on social media platform X, with several users alleging that Google’s search results display potential bias in the presentation of voting information. This controversy arises at a critical time as the presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, are neck and neck in the polls. Several prominent figures and ordinary users have posted screenshots showing that searches for “where to vote for Harris” yield a special interactive map pinpointing voting locations, while equivalent searches for “where to vote for Trump” simply redirect users to generic search results, including news headlines from mainstream media outlets. Reclaim The Net was able to reproduce the same results as the complainants. Google says it’s working on a fix. Most voters seeking information on polling locations are likely to search for general terms such as “where to vote” rather than specifying a candidate in their query. But while Google provides a useful service by directing voters to their polling stations, the consistency of this feature across different searches is crucial to maintaining fairness and neutrality. If Google offers a specialized map feature to help voters find polling locations when searching for one candidate, it stands to reason that the same functionality should be available regardless of which candidate’s name is included in the search. David Sacks, a noted investor, tweeted a screenshot showing the Google feature that assists users in finding their voting station when searching for Harris, accompanied by a sarcastic comment suggesting that the feature is not available for Trump supporters. Elon Musk chimed in with his own observation, raising the question to his vast number of followers, “Are others seeing this too?” Adding to the controversy, a tweet from the account DogeDesigner noted that Google has the largest corporate donations to the Democratic Party, implying that this could be influencing the alleged disparity in search result treatment. Emma-Jo Morris from New York added to the outcry by posting a similar comparison, noting the disparity in how Google handles searches for the two presidential candidates. Her post has received significant attention, amassing nearly half a million views, indicating the widespread notice and concern about the issue. The concern among voters is palpable, as they demand transparency and neutrality from tech giants, especially on an election day filled with high stakes. In a response from Google News, Google said it’s working on a fix: “The ‘where to vote’ panel is triggering for some specific searches because Harris is also the name of a county in TX. Happens for ‘Vance’ too because it’s also the name of a county. Fix is coming. Note very few people actually search for voting places this way.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Google’s Interactive Polling Station Map Ignites Claims of Pro-Harris Bias as Voters Head to the Polls appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Here comes UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming once again – with more demands regarding “misinformation” and “hate speech.” And, censorship – the kind that would be algorithmically recommended, leading to demonetization of content and creators. Yet a UN press release makes a grand statement – that its Communications Department is continuing to work “where public interest media are struggling to operate or are prevented from covering the truth.” Backed up by a number of UN members (Lithuania, Estonia, Vietnam, and El Salvador among them, for their own specific reasons) –  Fleming addressed the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), to seemingly casually throw in “disinformation,” “AI,” and such, together with some of the most difficult issues related to wars and geopolitical hotspots (which is what the UN is supposed to be dealing with in the first place.). But Fleming took the opportunity to work not only her department’s engagement on “climate communications,” the humanitarian issues in the Middle East, Ukraine, etc. into her statements, and instead also highlight the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, which recommend how member-countries may meet their commitments from the Global Digital Compact. The principles, Fleming noted, “have important recommendations for tech companies.” She complained that there has been “very little self regulation” there, and identified two groups – those who want a “healthier information ecosystem” and those that want it to be “toxic.” Fleming is not only optimistic that the first category is more numerous, but also about “lots of pressure” that’s currently on AI developers. In her words, it’s to “put the guardrails up before it is too late.” Too late for what, though – that’s something the UN press release doesn’t go into. Instead, this reporting about the committee’s meeting looks like it’s designed to at once promote the supposed successes of the UN Communications Departments in these various areas (detailing the number of various website hits, video views, etc.,) – and ask for more money from member states, to sustain the effort. Namely, it mentions that these achievements were made “despite the resource crunch.” Opponents of Fleming’s approach, and that of the UN in general, might be saying – may the crunch continue. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post UN’s Latest on “Misinformation” and “Hate” – Will Tech Bow to Pressure? appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. For those in, or knowledgeable of the EU system who at the same time make digital rights, online privacy and security their priority, the work is never done – the European Union’s bureaucracy keeps throwing new challenges their way. A recent scheme – dubbed “EU Going Dark” – is detailed by lawyer, and former German member of the European Parliament Patrick Breyer, who says the EU Commission (EC) has been working on this surveillance, encryption-undermining plan behind closed doors. If the accusations against the scheme are true, as far as the EC is concerned, that’s for good reason – even if one is unacceptable in a democracy. Namely, opponents like Breyer call the measures “tyrannical” in nature, with scope described as “frightening.” The plan is said to be developed by the High-Level Group (HLG) on access to data for effective law enforcement. The reported effort to make sure that the ongoing work on the package of measures remains far from the public eye has been successful – at least up to this point. Breyer notes that those behind the scheme had managed to keep it secret from most citizens, journalists, and politicians – but some documents are available. The key takeaway from the plan – which is in the phase of impact assessment and implementation preparations – is the reintroduction of what Breyer calls indiscriminate mass collection of data pertaining to people’s communications, “without suspicion.” The former MEP sees the plan to introduce this package of surveillance measures as non-transparent, while “rarely questioned.” And yet other than mass-scale data harvesting and retention, it also entails erosion of online encryption, which is necessary for a secure internet – from chats to bank transactions. The plans outlined here mention encrypted messengers – however, once weakened, technically, and a matter of policy – or both – encryption is weakened for all. Should it prove accurate, the extent of the upcoming operation being described as being massive is no exaggeration. Hardware manufacturers would be under obligation to make sure phones, “smart home” devices, cars, etc., are always “monitorable.” One element of this comprehensive surveillance is forcing providers of encrypted messenger apps to allow for interception of content, prevent encryption of both subscriber information and metadata, and hand over to the authorities users’ GPS location for tracking. Service providers and their representatives who refuse to comply would be punished, all the way to imprisonment. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Inside “EU Going Dark” The EU’s Push to End Private Messaging appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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